Mark Cavendish stopped halfway up the climb of The Struggle during today’s Stage 2 of the Tour of Britain to turn his bike around and have a word with a spectator, with TV cameras catching the aftermath, but not what led to the incident.

Footage posted to Twitter by the Bike Channel shows Cavendish stopped by the spectator – holding what looks like a selfie stick – and gesturing back down the road, before resuming the climb.

The person he had been addressing didn’t seem too fazed, turning away with what seemed to be the beginning of a smirk.

Shortly beforehand, Cavendish had pulled at the front of the main group on the early part of the tough climb, working for Steve Cummings, his Dimension Data team mate.

Cummings, twice an overall runner-up at the Tour of Britain, would later contest the win in Kendal with Julien Vermote of Etixx-Quick Step, with the Belgian proving too strong in the sprint and taking the stage and with it the race lead.

Vermote’s team mate Dan Martin led the chasing group home, nearly a minute behind.